Before I begin with this weeks blog I want to share with you a concept that I remind all of my clients and newsletter members of every single month, The Art of Translation. As readers and serious students of sales, deal flow, business and the sales presentation, your focus while reading all articles (with highlighter in hand) is to ask yourself with each sentence, “How can I translate what I’ve just read into my own situation?” I guarantee you can, if you’re adept at the art of translation. Quite honestly, it’s as simple as having the mindset that you’re about to learn something, deciding that you will learn! Let’s begin…

1. Focusing on the sale and not the client. Example: More motivated by the amount of commission than the client needs. Sure this type of thinking will probably be successful, but not solid, long lasting success. The idea is to maintain your client base, train your clients by building trust, doing what you say you’ll do and producing results. By creating a self-sufficient program, if you will, you’re leaving yourself room to bring in new business. However, if you’re only thinking about the sale and the commission you’re narrow minded. If you’re one of “those” salespeople that get the sale and that’s it, you don’t speak to your client again until its time to sell them something else; you’re wasting your time. Getting the sale is only the start of your relationship with the client.

2. Not putting themselves in their client’s shoes. Example: the timing of the sales call. The trick here is to think like a client. How do you feel in your personal life when you’re on the phone or in person with a business and the salesperson just starts rambling? Talking a mile a minute, like they know exactly what you want. They’re not respecting your time or your space. You say, no I’m just looking and they just keep going, not even a breath of air do they take. Leaches, they’re like leaches! Isn’t that what you say or think? Don’t you get ticked off and leave or hang up? Don’t you share that experience with your friends that you meet that day? How many times does the business you visit or speak to lose your business because they just don’t respect you? You’re no different. If you don’t want to be one of “those” salespeople, the leaches, the one’s that use this very phrase each time they speak with their client… “What do you ‘gut’ for me today?”

3. Not following up. The biggest, most time wasted and money out the door, reputation trashed, error you could EVER make. So, you’ve made tons of calls in-person and over the telephone; you’ve gotten through to the gatekeeper, built rapport and then DROPPED THE BALL! You didn’t keep going. You didn’t follow-up when they said to or when you said you would. You took a somewhat interested prospect and turned them into the competitor’s client Work the leads! Make the call!

4. Not doing what you say you’ll do. Often you say, I’ll take care of that, I can do that, no problem, I’ll take care of it right away. This usually all occurs while you’re dating the prospective client, while you’re trying to close the sale. Then, you get the sale! That’s it, you drop the ball. Whatever the reason for not following up, this is a form of service and you’re doing a disservice to the client, your business as a whole and to yourself. The lesson – don’t say it if you can’t do it. Again, if not doing what say you’ll do, has to do with poor organization, fix it, work on it, try different methods, and seek out a top performer who is extremely organized at office. Watch them, ask for help. Above all, if you mess up, admit it. Charge full steam ahead and apologize, take full responsibility, then fix it, fast!

Chris Mullins, The Phone Sales Doctor™, president of www.MullinsMediaGroup.com, is a sales and communication expert with a special love and focus on how to use the telephone to “sell and market you” for all business professionals. Chris personally listens to and critiques telephone sales calls (inbound/outbound), presentations, staff usage of the telephone, etiquette and offers role-playing time with careful examination and analysis of what you’re doing right, what you need to fix and how to fix it to improve your closure ratios, quickly. Chris is also the “Phone Script Doctor” that will review and/or rewrite your support staff and sales team’s scripts, outlines or call guides. For a FREE 3 Month Test drive of “Chris Mullins’ Nuggets® For Sales” print newsletter, email: chris@mullinsmediagroup.comand put “Test Drive” in the Subject Line or call 603-924-1640, you’ll also get a FREE invitation to attend Chris’ Weekly Off-The-Cuff 30 Minute TeleClinic.

About the Author

Tripp Braden partners with entrepreneurs and senior executives on their high engagement C-Suite communication and content marketing strategies.

I believe client education is the best way of building trust and long term sustainable growth.

My consulting practice focuses on second stage entrepreneurs, technology organizations, and senior level business executives. I partner with clients to develop high impact C-Suite communication and account based marketing strategies.

My work with many Fortune 1000 organizations helps smaller and mid-market businesses benefit from leveraging account based marketing strategies.

If you’re interested in learning more, contact me at tbraden@marketleadership.net or send me an invite on LinkedIn. You can find Tripp’s Serving Leadership blog at Empowering Serving Leaders.